The best cycling routes around Erlaufsee

The basilica in Mariazell is beautiful and world-famous

Beautiful view of the lake even in winter 🤍❄️🏔️

Mariazell Station is the terminus of the famous Mariazell Railway, a historic narrow-gauge railway that runs from St. Pölten to Mariazell. It is located on the northern edge of the pilgrimage town of Mariazell in Styria, just a short walk from the town center and the basilica. The station opened in 1907, coinciding with the completion of the railway line, which originally served to transport pilgrims and goods. The historic station building displays typical elements of turn-of-the-century architecture, with wooden decorations and a distinctive shingle roof reminiscent of the Alpine style. Today, the station has been modernized but continues to serve as the terminus of the electrically operated Mariazell Railway, which is run by the Lower Austrian Railways (NÖVOG). The station area includes several tracks, a small bus station, a café, and connections to hiking and pilgrimage trails. Adjacent to the station is the Mariazell Railway Museum, which showcases historic locomotives and carriages of the Mariazell Railway and brings the history of this unique Alpine railway to life. The train station is not only an important transport hub for pilgrims and day-trippers, but also a piece of living railway history – a place where tradition and modernity meet in a special way.

Beautiful traveling museum 🚂 Details: https://museumstramway.at/

The steam train only runs on weekends between Erlaufsee and Mariazell. The services are seasonal, usually from mid-May to the end of October, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. It is worth checking the exact schedule on their website, as the schedule may change in case of bad weather or low occupancy.

The Mariazell Basilica, officially the "Basilica of the Nativity of Mary," is considered Austria's most important pilgrimage site and is located 868 meters above sea level in the Styrian town of Mariazell. Its history begins in 1157, when, according to legend, the Benedictine monk Magnus erected a small linden wood statue of the Virgin Mary at this site – the miraculous image now venerated as the "Magna Mater Austriae." Over the centuries, these humble beginnings developed into a central Marian pilgrimage site for pilgrims from many parts of Central Europe, including Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Croatia. The current building was built primarily between 1644 and 1683 in the Baroque style, incorporating Gothic elements from the predecessor, such as the high choir and the approximately 90-meter-high tower. Inside, visitors will find magnificent Baroque altars, fine stucco, and the central Chapel of Grace, with its Romanesque statue of the Virgin Mary, sumptuously decorated with silver and gold. In 1907, Pope Pius XI granted the church the title of "Basilica Minor," and in 1983, Pope John Paul II visited the famous pilgrimage site. Today, the basilica is not only a spiritual center but also a significant cultural monument, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

Mariazell is one of Europe's most important pilgrimage sites, with a history spanning over 850 years, attracting pilgrims from all over Central Europe since the Middle Ages – including numerous cyclists on spiritual or historical routes. The impressive basilica, the Baroque architecture, and the location in the heart of the Alps make the town a fascinating destination for culture-loving cyclists.

Nice old railcar, converted into a small café and bistro